Have Lionel Messi's Argentina qualified for 2026 FIFA World Cup?

La Albiceleste was the first South American side to secure a spot for the mega tournament.

The Lionel Scaloni-led side comfortably secured a spot for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after their top-of-the-line performances in the CONMEBOL qualifiers. They remained consistent throughout the qualifying stage.

The Argentina national football team are the defending FIFA World Cup champions. They have won the tournament a total of three times (1978, 1986 and 2002). La Albiceleste finished at the top of the table in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers of the CONMEBOL region.

Lionel Messi and company came out as a strong squad. They represented good chemistry between the Argentine players on the field. They will have time to lock their focus and prepare their strategies for the upcoming World Cup. 2026 will be Argentina’s 19th appearance in the mega competition.

Argentina qualified, but Lionel Messi’s involvement is still uncertain

Despite the easy qualification of the Argentina national football team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the participation of the 38-year-old Lionel Messi still remains a question.

The Argentine great has not confirmed being a part of the team for the mega tournament. Moreover, he has mentioned that his availability will depend on his fitness. It is a bit concerning as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has missed some games for both his club and country this season due to a lack of fitness.

However, he played an important role for La Albicelste in the World Cup qualifying stage. Leo Messi scored eight goals and also assisted his fellow teammates 11 times. He was clearly the top performer in the qualifiers.

More importantly, the Lionel Scaloni-led side did well even when Messi was not a part of the squad due to his fitness issues in some of the matches. The young Argentine players put up some good performances.

Despite all of that, the Inter Miami star will be an important addition for Argentina if he opts to play for them going forward. He still adds value to the team as he can score goals and create some innovative plays, which can always trouble the opponents.

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